You can develop leaner, firmer legs and glutes by adding a few workout balls to your program. Medicine balls (weighted from 2 to 30 pounds) strengthen core muscles and provide resistance in a workout. Stability balls (larger, inflated) strengthen your abdominals and stabilize the spine to help improve balance and reduce injuries. These exercises may help define, strengthen and tone your legs using workout balls.
Single leg dead lift
TARGETS HAMSTRINGS AND GLUTEALS
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Begin with right foot on floor, and place left toes on stability ball. Keep arms in front of legs with medicine ball in hands. As you push your leg backward, lower torso parallel to floor while lowering medicine ball just above the foot. Perform one to three sets; 10 to 15 repetitions. Keep abdominals tight and back flat.
Lateral lunge
TARGETS GLUTEALS, QUADRICEPS AND HAMSTRINGS
Stand with one foot on the floor and the other on a stability ball. Hold a medicine ball with both hands at chest height. Step out to left side as you lower into lateral lunge. Weight shifts to left as you extend opposite leg, keeping foot on stability ball. (Avoid locking knee of extended leg or leaning too far forward.) Push arms out in front, keeping the medicine ball at chest level. Push off left foot to return to start position. Pull in arms as medicine ball and right foot return to the start position. Repeat on opposite side. Perform one to three sets; 10 to 15 repetitions.
Uneven squat
TARGETS: GLUTEALS, QUADRICEPS AND HAMSTRINGS
Begin with one foot on medicine ball and other on floor. Extend arms directly overhead holding stability ball. Keep arms aligned with ears. Sit back into a squat position, keeping gluteals down and back. Repeat, opposite side. Perform one to three sets; 10 to 15 repetitions. Avoid squatting on toes.
DO IT RIGHT
Stability balls are not one-size-fits-all, so refer to the following guidelines for a proper fit:
%% BALL SIZE YOUR HEIGHT
Small (17.55 inches) 4-foot-6 to 5 feet
Medium (21.45 inches) 5-foot-1 to 5-foot-7
Large (25.35 inches) 5-foot-8 to 6-foot-1
X-large (29.25 inches) 6-foot-2 to 6-foot-7
XX-large (33.15 inches) Over 6-foot-7 %%
[SOURCE: RESIST-A-BALL]